Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 900 Series Turbofan Engines

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 156 (Friday, August 13, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 49368-49370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18730]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. FAA-2010-0748; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-13-AD; 
Amendment 39-16384; AD 2010-16-07]
RIN 2120-AA64


Airworthiness Directives; Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-Trent 900 
Series Turbofan Engines

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the 
products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing 
airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of 
another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an 
aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

    Wear, beyond Engine Manual limits, has been identified on the 
abutment faces of the splines on the Trent 900 Intermediate Pressure 
(IP) shaft rigid coupling on several engines during strip. The shaft 
to coupling spline interface provides the means of controlling the 
turbine axial setting and wear through of the splines would permit 
the IP turbine to move rearwards.
    Rearward movement of the IP turbine would enable contact with 
static turbine components and would result in loss of engine 
performance with potential for in-flight shut down, oil migration 
and oil fire below the LP turbine discs prior to sufficient 
indication resulting in loss of LP turbine disc integrity.

We are issuing this AD to detect rearward movement of the IP turbine, 
which could result in loss of disc integrity, an uncontained failure of 
the engine, and damage to the airplane.

DATES: This AD becomes effective September 17, 2010.
    We must receive comments on this AD by September 13, 2010.
    The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by 
reference of Rolls-Royce Trent 900 Series Propulsion Systems Alert Non-
Modification Service Bulletin (NMSB) RB.211-72-AG329, Revision 1, dated 
January 13, 2010, listed in the AD as of September 17, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
    <bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue, SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590-0001.
    <bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    <bullet> Fax: (202) 493-2251.

Examining the AD Docket

    You may examine the AD docket on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov; or in person at the Docket Operations office 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the regulatory evaluation, 
any comments received, and other information. The street address for 
the Docket Operations office (telephone (800) 647-5527) is the same as 
the Mail address provided in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will be 
available in the AD docket shortly after receipt.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, Engine 
Certification Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New 
England Executive Park; Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: 
[email protected]; telephone (781) 238-7178; fax (781) 238-7199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is the Technical 
Agent for the Member States of the European Community, has issued EASA 
Airworthiness Directive 2010-0008, dated January 15, 2010 (referred to 
after this as ``the MCAI''), to correct an unsafe condition for the 
specified products. The MCAI states:

    Wear, beyond Engine Manual limits, has been identified on the 
abutment faces of the splines on the Trent 900 Intermediate Pressure 
(IP) shaft rigid coupling on several engines during strip. The shaft 
to coupling spline interface provides the means of controlling the 
turbine axial setting and wear through of the splines would permit 
the IP turbine to move rearwards.
    Rearward movement of the IP turbine would enable contact with 
static turbine components and would result in loss of engine 
performance with potential for in-flight shut down, oil migration 
and oil fire below the LP turbine discs prior to sufficient 
indication resulting in loss of LP turbine disc integrity.
    This AD requires inspection of the IP shaft coupling splines 
and, depending on the results, requires further repetitive 
inspections or corrective actions.

You may obtain further information by examining the MCAI in the AD 
docket.

Relevant Service Information

    Rolls-Royce plc has issued RB211 Trent 900 Series Propulsion 
Systems Alert NMSB RB.211-72-AG329, Revision 1, dated January 13, 2010. 
The actions described in this service information are intended to 
correct the

[[Page 49369]]

unsafe condition identified in the MCAI.

FAA's Determination and Requirements of This AD

    This product has been approved by the aviation authority of the 
United Kingdom, and is approved for operation in the United States. 
Pursuant to our bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom, they have 
notified us of the unsafe condition described in the MCAI and service 
information referenced above. We are issuing this AD because we 
evaluated all information provided by the United Kingdom, and 
determined the unsafe condition exists and is likely to exist or 
develop on other products of the same type design.

FAA's Determination of the Effective Date

    Since no domestic operators use this product, notice and 
opportunity for public comment before issuing this AD are unnecessary. 
Therefore, we are adopting this regulation immediately.

Comments Invited

    This AD is a final rule that involves requirements affecting flight 
safety, and we did not precede it by notice and opportunity for public 
comment. We invite you to send any written relevant data, views, or 
arguments about this AD. Send your comments to an address listed under 
the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2010-0748; Directorate 
Identifier 2010-NE-13-AD'' at the beginning of your comments. We 
specifically invite comments on the overall regulatory, economic, 
environmental, and energy aspects of this AD. We will consider all 
comments received by the closing date and may amend this AD because of 
those comments.
    We will post all comments we receive, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. We 
will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact 
with FAA personnel concerning this AD. Using the search function of the 
Web site, anyone can find and read the comments in any of our dockets, 
including, if provided, the name of the individual who sent the comment 
(or signed the comment on behalf of an association, business, labor 
union, etc.). You may review the DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement 
in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).

Authority for This Rulemaking

    Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to 
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the 
authority of the FAA Administrator. ``Subtitle VII: Aviation 
Programs,'' describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's 
authority.
    We are issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in 
``Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General 
requirements.'' Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with 
promoting safe flight of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing 
regulations for practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator 
finds necessary for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within 
the scope of that authority because it addresses an unsafe condition 
that is likely to exist or develop on products identified in this 
rulemaking action.

Regulatory Findings

    We determined that this AD will not have federalism implications 
under Executive Order 13132. This AD will not have a substantial direct 
effect on the States, on the relationship between the national 
government and the States, or on the distribution of power and 
responsibilities among the various levels of government.
    For the reasons discussed above, I certify this AD:
    1. Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive Order 
12866;
    2. Is not a ``significant rule'' under the DOT Regulatory Policies 
and Procedures (44 FR 11034, February 26, 1979); and
    3. Will not have a significant economic impact, positive or 
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
    We prepared a regulatory evaluation of the estimated costs to 
comply with this AD and placed it in the AD docket.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39

    Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by 
reference, Safety.

Adoption of the Amendment

0
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, 
the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows:

PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.

Sec.  39.13  [Amended]

0
2. The FAA amends Sec.  39.13 by adding the following new AD:

2010-16-07 Rolls-Royce plc (RR): Amendment 39-16384.; Docket No. 
FAA-2010-0748; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-13-AD.

Effective Date

    (a) This airworthiness directive (AD) becomes effective 
September 17, 2010.

Affected ADs

    (b) None.

Applicability

    (c) This AD applies to RR model RB211-Trent 970-84, 970B-84, 
972-84, 972B-84, 977-84, 977B-84, and 980-84 turbofan engines. These 
engines are installed on, but not limited to, Airbus A380 series 
airplanes.

Reason

    (d) European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2010-0008, 
dated January 15, 2010, states:
    Wear, beyond Engine Manual limits, has been identified on the 
abutment faces of the splines on the Trent 900 Intermediate Pressure 
(IP) shaft rigid coupling on several engines during strip. The shaft 
to coupling spline interface provides the means of controlling the 
turbine axial setting and wear through of the splines would permit 
the IP turbine to move rearwards.
    Rearward movement of the IP turbine would enable contact with 
static turbine components and would result in loss of engine 
performance with potential for in-flight shut down, oil migration 
and oil fire below the LP turbine discs prior to sufficient 
indication resulting in loss of LP turbine disc integrity.
    We are issuing this AD to detect rearward movement of the IP 
turbine, which could result in loss of disc integrity, an 
uncontained failure of the engine, and damage to the airplane.

Actions and Compliance

    (e) Unless already done, do the following actions.

On-Wing Borescope Inspection

    (1) Inspect the IP shaft coupling splines using section 3.A of 
RR RB211 Trent 900 Series Propulsion Systems Alert Non-Modification 
Service Bulletin (NMSB) RB.211-72-AG329, Revision 1, dated January 
13, 2010, before accumulating 400 cycles-since-new or within 150 
cycles-in-service (CIS) after the effective date of this AD, 
whichever occurs later.
    (2) If the coupling, P/N FW33264, was replaced with a new 
coupling, P/N FW33264, during any shop visit, then you may use the 
life since that shop visit in place of engine time since new to 
establish the inspection threshold.
    (3) Use the inspection results and actions compliance times or 
specified in Table 1 of this AD to disposition the engine or to 
determine the interval for the repetitive inspections.

[[Page 49370]]



  Table 1--On-Wing Borescope Inspection--Further Action and Repetitive
                          Inspection Intervals
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  Condition measured spline
  crest in accordance with                            Compliance time/
 section 3.A of Rolls-Royce                          repetitive interval
 alert NMSB RB.211-72-AG329,         Action            (not to exceed)
  Revision 1, dated January                          flight cycles since
        13, 2010, is:                                  last inspection
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Less than 0.5 mm with no  Remove the engine...  Before next flight.
 material remaining.
(ii) Less than 0.5 mm with    Remove the engine...  Within 10 flight
 some material remaining.                            cycles.
(iii) Equal to or more than   Repeat inspection...  Within 50 flight
 0.5 mm but less than 1 mm.                          cycles.
(iv) Equal to or more than 1  Repeat inspection...  Within 100 flight
 mm but less than 1.5 mm.                            cycles.
(v) Equal to or more than     Repeat inspection...  Within 200 flight
 1.5 mm but less than 2 mm.                          cycles.
(vi) Equal to or more than 2  Repeat inspection...  Within 300 flight
 mm but less than 2.4 mm.                            cycles.
(vii) Equal to or more than   Repeat inspection...  Within 400 flight
 2.4 mm.                                             cycles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note 1:  The nominal unworn dimension of the spline crest is 
2.65 mm.

In-Shop Replacement and Inspection

    (4) At the next shop visit after the effective date of this AD 
perform the following:
    (i) Replace any IP shaft coupling that was previously borescope 
inspected in accordance with paragraph (e)(1) of this AD and put on 
a reduced re-inspection interval in accordance with paragraphs 
(e)(3)(i) through (e)(3)(vii) of this AD.
    (ii) Inspect all other IP shaft coupling splines using 
paragraphs 3.B.(2) or 3.B.(3) of RR RB211 Trent 900 Series 
Propulsion Systems Alert NMSB RB.211-72-AG329, Revision 1, dated 
January 13, 2010.

Definitions

    (5) For the purposes of this AD, a shop visit is the induction 
of an engine into the shop for maintenance involving the separation 
of pairs of major mating engine flanges, except that the separation 
of engine flanges solely for the purposes of transportation without 
subsequent engine maintenance does not constitute an engine shop 
visit.

FAA AD Differences

    (f) None.

Other FAA AD Provisions

    (g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs): The Manager, 
Engine Certification Office, FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs 
for this AD, if requested using the procedures found in 14 CFR 
39.19.

Related Information

    (h) Refer to MCAI EASA Airworthiness Directive 2010-0008, dated 
January 15, 2010, for related information.
    (i) Contact Ian Dargin, Aerospace Engineer, Engine Certification 
Office, FAA, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England 
Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; e-mail: [email protected]; 
telephone (781) 238-7178; fax (781) 238-7199, for more information 
about this AD.

Material Incorporated by Reference

    (j) You must use Rolls-Royce RB211 Trent 900 Series Propulsion 
Systems Alert Non-Modification Service Bulletin RB.211-72-AG329 
Revision 1, dated January 13, 2010 to do the actions required by 
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
    (1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the 
incorporation by reference of this service information under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
    (2) For service information identified in this AD, contact 
Rolls-Royce plc, P.O. Box 31, Derby, DE24 8BJ, United Kingdom; 
telephone 044 1332 242424; fax 044 1332 249936.
    (3) You may review copies at the FAA, New England Region, 12 New 
England Executive Park, Burlington, MA; or at the National Archives 
and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of this material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.


    Issued in Burlington, Massachusetts, on July 26, 2010.
Peter A. White,
Assistant Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-18730 Filed 8-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

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